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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22861390">Boy In The Bubble</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Why_do_you_want_to_know/pseuds/Why_do_you_want_to_know'>Why_do_you_want_to_know</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Song Fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ALL THE ANGST, Angst, Bad Parent John Winchester, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Everyone Needs A Hug, Homophobia, Hurt No Comfort, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I'm Sorry, John Winchester Being an Asshole, M/M, Sad Castiel (Supernatural), Sad Dean Winchester, Sad Ending, Song Lyrics, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Why Did I Write This?, and it's John's fault, it all goes wrong, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:42:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,290</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22861390</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Why_do_you_want_to_know/pseuds/Why_do_you_want_to_know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel sighed. He had stayed out for as long as he could, but it was getting dark (the downside of winter) and he couldn’t stay out any longer.</p><p>As soon as school had ended he had headed to the library, wishing that he could stay there forever, no one ever bothered him at the library. It hadn't been the original plan, but judging by his broken nose, his original plan was off the table.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Song Fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1529687</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Boy In The Bubble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Why did I write this? I'm sorry.<br/>I know it's in a collection about love and songs...... that is not where this is going.<br/>I hope you enjoy.......</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Castiel sighed. He had stayed out for as long as he could, but it was getting dark (the downside of winter) and he couldn’t stay out any longer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as school had ended he had headed to the library, wishing that he could stay there forever, no one ever bothered him at the library. It hadn't been the original plan, but judging by his broken nose, his original plan was off the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately the library closed at 6:00 so he had been walking around town for the last 40 minutes and now there was no escaping it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was hungry. He was cold. He was tired. And to make matters worse, his face hurt. That didn’t mean he wanted to go home and face his mother’s confusion. Seeing him like this would hurt her. She would want to know what had happened. He couldn’t tell her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn't even know.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It was 6:48, I was walking home</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Stepped through the gate, and I'm all alone</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cas looked at his home. It was a nice house, anyone could see that, and he had always taken it for granted.  But now, looking at it today, he saw just how lucky he was. He had a permanent home, a loving family.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His loving family would probably all be out right now. He was alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gabe had some after school club or another on today, meaning he wouldn’t be back until at least 8 (Cas was fairly sure his after school clubs were just excuses to meet up with friends and annoy people but Gabe could do whatever.) His dad would still be at work. It was just his mum he wasn’t sure about. She might be working late, or she could walk through the front door any second.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I had chicken on the plate, but the food was cold</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Then I covered up my face so that no one knows</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cas couldn’t be bothered to cook, he hurt too much for that, so instead he just pulled some cold chicken stir fry out of the fridge and ate that. He didn’t even bother warming it up. Gabe called it disgusting, Castiel just called it a refined taste for lazy people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He washed as much blood off his face as he could, but he knew the bruises probably stood out like spilled ink on a plain page. He couldn’t think of any way to cover it up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I didn't want trouble, I'm the boy in the bubble</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>But then came trouble</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His life had been so simple, just a few weeks before. He had stayed out of the way. His grades were good, the bullies ignored him, he had a good friendship group. Everything was great.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But then Dean Winchester came to town.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>When my mom walked into the living room</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She said, "Boy, you gotta tell me what they did to you"</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Castiel’s mum came back from work exactly on time. She wasn’t working late today.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Honey!” She called out, trying to figure out where in the house Cas was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Living room.” Cas knew that his mum was going to be concerned. She was going to want to know everything. Cas didn’t know what he was going to say.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I said, "You don't wanna know the things I had to do"</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She said, "Son, you gotta tell me why you're black and blue"</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t. Not for his sake. Not for anyone else's. He didn’t even know how she would react. Would she be horrified and say he deserved it? Would she go hunting his attacker down to get them to pay? Castiel didn’t know which would happen but he knew he couldn’t let either happen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I said I didn't want trouble, I'm the boy in the bubble</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>But then came trouble</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wished he could skip back. Go back to when things were simple and his sheltered life was simple and untroubled. But then at the same time he kind of didn't.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because of Dean Winchester.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>And my heart was pumping, chest was screaming</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Mind was running, air was freezing</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had been just after school had ended. Dean was going to come over to his. They were probably going to make out until Cas’ mum got home and then watch a film until Dean eventually dragged himself back to his house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It didn’t go like that at all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Put my hands up, put my hands up</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I told this kid I'm ready for a fight</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean had pulled him off the path, into an abandoned alleyway and told him to put his hands up. Cas had been confused but Dean had told him again, with more force, so Cas had complied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know what was happening. This wasn’t how he had expected the evening to go. Why did Dean want him to put his hands up anyway?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Punch my face, do it 'cause I like the pain</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Every time you curse my name</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Cas. I really am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I know you want the satisfaction, it's not gonna happen</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Knock me out, kick me when I'm on the ground</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t do this, but it’s the only way. The only move which doesn’t end with us all dead.” Dean sounded defeated, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It's only gonna let you down</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Come the lightning and the thunder</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you saying Dean?” Cas was really starting to feel scared. He shouldn’t be scared of his boyfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>You're the one who'll suffer, suffer</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to do this.” Dean had said “You don’t understand but I have to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cas had just been confused. He hadn’t had any idea what Dean was talking about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hadn't said anything like that. Instead he had just said, “Go ahead.” he didn’t truly believe Dean would do anything bad.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dammit Cas.” Dean had replied. Castiel still believed he was safe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Well I squared him up, left my chest exposed</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He threw a quick left hook and it broke my nose</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean threw a punch, broke Cas’ nose. Cas yelped in pain, he thought he heard an answering yelp from Dean, but he must have been imagining things, why would Dean yelp?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t understand what was happening. Why did his boyfriend break his nose? Dean wasn’t a violent boy, so what was he doing?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thought Dean loved him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I had thick red blood running down my clothes</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>And a sick, sick look 'cause I like it though</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His nose was bleeding, running in scarlet rivers down his face, but he still found himself more worried about Dean. He knew he shouldn’t, but he still loved Dean more than he thought was possible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He probably looked crazy, he had blood flowing down his face yet he was too busy asking why to be bothered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I said I didn't want trouble, I'm the boy in the bubble</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>But then came trouble</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Dean said “I didn’t want this to happen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>And my heart was pumping, chest was screaming</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Mind was running, nose was bleeding</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why? Why are you doing this?” Cas asked, cradling his broken nose. His voice sounded weird from his broken node and he could see Dean wince at the sound of it. His nose was still bleeding, it hadn't stopped yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Put my hands up, put my hands up</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I told this kid I'm ready for a fight</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He knows. My dad knows.” Dean’s voice was wobbling. Was he crying? Why would he be crying? It was Cas with the broken nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Punch my face, do it 'cause I like the pain</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Every time you curse my name</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then why?” Cas just wanted to know. He couldn’t think of why Dean’s dad knowing could change anything, but here they were.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I know you want the satisfaction, it's not gonna happen</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Knock me out, kick me when I'm on the ground</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is the only way I can keep you safe.” Dean was definitely crying now, but his words didn’t make sense. How was beating him up the only way to keep him safe?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It's only gonna let you down</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Come the lightning and the thunder</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cas heard a camera click and a saw a camera flash, and then Dean walked out of the alley, leaving Cas to sort himself out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>You're the one who'll suffer</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cas knew he would never see Dean again.#</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*~*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean sighed. He knew he had to go home now. But he really didn't want to. He knew what was waiting for him at home. 'home', it wasn't a home. It was a motel his dad had booked for however long they would stay in this town. Last week, he had hoped they would stay forever. Now he hoped they were heading off tomorrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knowing his dad, they probably would be. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It was 6:48, he was walking home</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>With the blood on his hand from my broken nose</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean looked sadly down at his hands. They were covered in blood. Not just any blood. They were covered in Cas' blood. And if that didn't make him want to throw up and go die in a bush, nothing would.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>But like every other day, he was scared to go</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Back to his house 'cause his pops was home</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dad was home. He didn't know how sober he would be, but he would ask Dean if he had done it, if he had made him proud and forgotten his disgusting ways. Dean would have to say yes and hope that was enough to settle him. If not, then he had slow and painful evening to look forward too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drowning his troubles in whiskey bubbles</em>
  </b>
  <b></b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Just looking for trouble</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That's what his dad did. He drove around, moving from motel to motel, dragging his kids with him, drinking too much and looking for trouble.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Well, there's no excuse for the things he did</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>But there's a lot at home that he's dealing with</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean knew it wasn't an excuse. He shouldn't have done it. Just because his dad told him too, that wasn't an excuse. Cas did nothing wrong. Yet dad decided he still had to pay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just because of Dean.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Because his dad's been drunk since he was a kid</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dad's been like this since Dean was 4. Since Mary died in a fire. In fact, Dean could probably count on one hand the number of weeks he'd been sober since then. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean didn't realise he could hate someone as much as he hated his dad.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>And I hope one day that he'll say to him</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"Put down those bubbles and that belt buckle</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>In this broken bubble"</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cas had always said that Dean should tell him, tell him that it was John who was ripping this 'family' apart. Tell John that he'd had enough and that John needed to either give up on the drink, or Dean would take Sam and run.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean couldn't explain to Cas that he couldn't. That John was not someone you want to mess with. Not someone you want to say anything like that too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sometimes, on the days when his back stung from his dad's belt and he cried himself to sleep at night, he wondered whether Cas was right. Of course he was, but that didn't mean Dean was ready to accept it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now he wished he had.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Punch my face, do it 'cause I like the pain</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Every time you curse my name</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I did it Dad." He said, tears filling his eyes as he thought about what he had done. "You can leave them alone. Please."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Proof?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean silently held up his phone. There on the screen was a photo of Cas. Dean couldn't wait to delete it. The photo was causing him physical pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew he had done that. How could he have done that? He loved Cas.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well done son." His dad said gruffly. "I'll leave them alone now."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean breathed out a sigh of relief. His dad could do whatever he wanted to him, but the very thought of him hurting Cas or his family made Dean want to cry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because that was what was going to happen. John knew where they all were, Cas, Cas' mum, Cas' dad, Gabe. All of them, John knew. And he said he would hurt them if he didn't stop whatever he had with Cas. Worse, if he didn't beat Cas up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean wished he could explain it all to Cas. Explain he hadn't wanted to hurt him. That he had done it to keep him and his family safe. That his dad was dangerous. But he couldn't, so Cas would just have to hate him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I know you want the satisfaction, it's not gonna happen</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pack up your stuff” John said darkly. Dean knew that everything had gone wrong. He would never see Cas again, and John would always see him as an inhuman dirty monster. He didn’t realise his dad was so homophobic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Knock me out, kick me when I'm on the ground</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It's only gonna let you down</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Come the lightning and the thunder</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“NOW!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean quickly complied. No point angering his dad any more. He would probably have to pay for his sins by means of his dad’s belt anyway, no point making it worse.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then again, he deserved it after what he had done to Cas. Dad’s threats aside, he broke his nose, he let him down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>You're the one who'll suffer, suffer</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They drove out the town that night. Sam didn’t understand why they were leaving, they had only been there a short amount of time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dean knew he would never see Cas again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yeah. I really am sorry.<br/>Please leave kudos/comments if you are here........</p></blockquote></div></div>
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